Reviews (10)

As Good As Live Rock Gets
Back in the early '70's my friends and I used to refer to Rory Gallagher as the "King of the Cut-out Bin". A frist rate
guitarist with a great feel for all kinds of blues, soulful singer, and charismatic performer (though without pretense), Gallagher was, for some reason, a non-seller. This album was the first Gallagher cut-out I bought and when the CD was released I didn't flinch at all at paying full price because this is some of the best live blues and rock on earth. After a perfunctory introduction and some enthusiastic applause from what sounds like a small audience, Gallagher rips into the first notes of his cover of Junior Wells' "Messin' With The Kid" and never lets up. His acoustic blues are just as impassioned as his electric rock; his performance of "Pistol Slapper Blues" is actually reminiscent of Blind Boy Fuller's, complete with fine Piedmont style fingerpicking and "Going To My Hometown" features mandolin and audience participation. Bassist Gerry McAvoy and drummer Wilgar Campbell fir perfectly with him. ther challenge and push him without getting in the way. Campbell's fills never intrude on the music, rather they help to fill the background and tend to keep the intensity up. Gallagher's own virtuosity never seems to exist for its own sake; his ego seems totally subsumed in the music. This is the mark of a true musician. The production is competent without being the least bit slick and there are just enough wrong notes to indicate a minimum of overdubbing. This is a great live rock album, doubtless one of the best, and an object lesson for many musicians with great chops and little maturity. Don't miss it.

Can blue men play the whites
The list of blues guitar legends is long(and growing longer so I hear)but Rory Gallagher deserves a place higher up near the top of that list.Gallagher never played the game and he payed the price but when it comes to playing the blues with passion and fire you will be hard pressed to find his equal.Rory was a phenomenal live performer and is captured here in fine form ( even when he picks up the mandolin for" going to my hometown" .
"Live in Europe" is a must have for any serious fan of the blues or those who just love to hear the guitar sing.
At his peak Rory was untouchable and he was close to his best here.His finest work however is on Taste- live at the Isle of Wight.

One word: Awesome
I hate to admit it, but I'm just discovering Rory Gallagher some nine years after his passing. I grew up in the '70s and remember hearing his name, but somehow I NEVER heard a Rory Gallagher tune. Had I, I'm sure my life would have been different. A friend sent me a CDR of Irish Tour and that blew me away! I started buying some Rory Gallagher CDs and one of the first was this. Hey, this is killer! The CD is worth it for In Your Town (a bonus track) that is more incendiary than any guitar blazing by Clapton, Peter Green, Jeff Beck or any other British blues-oriented rocker. I am now buying every Rory Gallagher CD I can (I just got the BBC sessions...), but definitely his live stuff -- this and Irish Tour -- are two great places to begin. I can't believe how or why Gallagher was ignored by FM radio back in the day -- at least the stations in my hometown. Well, better late than never to have discovered this awesome, awesome musician! (Thanks, Bill for turning me on to Rory Gallagher! I owe you big-time!)

A Must Have....
I hope to lead a good life and someday find the piece of heaven where Rory is playing. Until then this album is a reminder of what's to come. I think I even owned it on 8 track. Still as powerful today as it was so long ago.

Live in Mott
After four years and three albums, not counting the posthumously released 'Live at the Isle of Wight', Rory Gallagher split up his previous band ''Taste'' in 1970, just as they seemed destined to break into the big time. But then Rory Gallagher always did things his own way, never one to do the obvious. Rory then set about putting his own band together, under his own terms. It was very much Rory's way or the Highway, and Rory's way could not of been a bad one as bassist Gerry McAvoy stuck it out with Rory through thick and thin from the first to the last.

With Rory now firmly in control a new trio was formed under ''The Rory Gallagher Band" banner with the aforementioned Gerry McAvoy on Bass and the powerhouse drummer Wilgar Campbell. For the next two years they toured incessantly, wherever people were prepared to listen to them, and at every performance never less than a 110% was given by Rory and the boys. They often played for over three hours when they were only booked to do one. There was never any money or time wasted on stage - attire either. What the band wore on the street is what they wore on stage. What you saw was what you got. Rory never believed in Set Lists, playing what he thought was appropriate to the moment; some nights opening with one song, the next playing the same song as a final encore. Giving the other two just seconds to know which song he would be launching into next. Rory would do this with songs as well, playing 'Too Much Alcohol' one night as a full blown electric rocker with the band, and the next as an acoustic Blues with just him on acoustic guitar and a Harmonica.

During this time they recorded the first two studio albums. The self-titled debut album released in May 1971 mostly made up of songs left over from Rory's "days with Taste", followed by the far more adventurous 'Deuce' released in December of the same year. But it was not until the release the following year of this groundbreaking Live album that Rory Gallagher achieved record sales to match his fanatical live following. 'Live in Europe' reached Number 12 in Britain, but more importantly breaking into the American Billboard Top 100, opening up a whole new audience.

The set starts of at a frantic pace with two rockers, the evergreen chestnut Junior Well's 'Messin' with the Kid ' (which Rory turned into his own), and the Rory original 'Laundromat', then everything is slowed down for the aching blues of 'I Could've Had Religion', where Rory's slide and harmonica work are allowed to shine. Then, without the band, an acoustic version of Blind Boy Fuller's 'Pistol Slapper Blues'. This time Rory gets to show off his fine guitar picking. For a complete change of tempo we get the stompin 'Going to my Home Town' with Rory on Mandolin, some very effective bass work from Gerry and Wilgar plus some marvelous Audience participation. Rory could of had a hit single on his hands if he had released an edited version of this song as a 45. But like 'Led Zeppelin' Rory never released a single during his career, leaving that area to the so called Pop Bands. Live set centerpiece is 'In your own Town', a ten minute band work out. And when Rory cries out "See this match? Well I am going to set this whole place alight.'', you just know it's time for the band to cut loose.

Next in the running order are the two tracks added on to this digitally Remastered CD version. Two great blues workouts in traditional Rory Gallagher style, a worthy addition to any set. The album closes with Rory's raved up version of 'Bullfrog Blues' including a pulsating bass solo from Gerry followed by a thrashing drum solo before the whole band crashes back in with Rory bringing the house down with a screaming slide solo.....which leaves everybody breathless.

After this batch of touring, Rory took on a keyboard player to fill out the sound in both the studio and as a touring unit, but I always preferred this pioneering first band. Whatever you think 'Live in Europe' is a fine testament to a credible live act and a fine Human Being
Mott the Dog ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One of the classic live blues albums
Muddy Waters' July, 1960 appearance at the Newport Folk Festival was recorded and issued as one of the first live blues albums, and one of the very best as well. A bit short at only nine songs (plus four studio recordings), but that's just about the only complaint you could possibly lodge against this classic recording.

The sound on the remastered 2001 edition is simply excellent...the original masters have been transferred in high-resolution digital audio, bringing up Andrew Stephenson's bass overall, and moving Muddy's singing several layers forward in the mix.
And the result is superb. The Muddy Waters Band of 1960 included top-notch harmonica player James Cotton, guitarist Auburn "Pat" Hare, drummer Francis Clay, and the great Otis Spann whose superb piano playing graced almost all of Muddy's 1960s recordings (listen to the swing he adds to "I Feel So Good"). And Muddy Waters himself is in his prime, his big, confident voice possessing tremendous power.

Talking about highlights is a meaningless excercise..."Muddy Waters At Newport" features the definitive renditions of the classic "Got My Mojo Working" and the swaggering "I Feel So Good", but literally everything is superb, from the hits ("Hoochie Coochie Man", Big Joe Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go") to the little-known songs ("Soon Forgotten", the then-newly recorded "I Got My Brand On You" and "Tiger In Your Tank"). And the live portion of the album winds down with the slow lament "Goodbye Newport Blues", which is pretty generic and obviously slapped together for the occation, but it actually works really well (and pianist Otis Spann provides the lead vocal).

The original live recordings have been augumented by four bonus tracks recorded just prior to Muddy's Newport appearance, three of which appear "live" as well. Notice how the live recordings of "I Got My Brand On You", "Tiger In Your Tank" and the slow "Soon Forgotten" are almost twice as long as the studio versions.
The fourth song is one of Muddy's least-known songs...a mid-tempo blues shuffle anchored by a great rhythm section and with some superb harmonica playing by James Cotton. A fine little gem.

"Muddy Waters At Newport" is a must-have for any self-respecting blues fan, casual or fanatical, and one of the greatest items in Muddy Waters' catalogue.

Not too shabby!
I can't quite say I enjoyed this CD, but seeing as how this was my first Waters album, I have concluded it was a good place to start. It has some of his classics ("I Got my Mojo Working" and "Hoochie Coochie Man"), and a whole bunch of others.

Of considerable interest also would be the fact that not ALL of the tracks are live, both classics listed above are in pre-recorded format, along with another.

MUSIC ITSELF: 4
SOUND QUALITY 4
COVER, INSIDE SLEEVE: 5
OVERALL: 4

The concert that inspired British rock
This is the concert that inspired the likes of Eric Burdon, Clapton, Winwood, Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page...this is a must for blues and rock n' roll collectors. The sound is live, probably Muddy's best live recording. I would like to find the video/35mm film to this. I also recommend "Hard Again" by Muddy with the help of James Cotton (who is also on this live recording) and Johnny Winter. The man is missed.

Great Acoustic Muddy!
A caveat. I like Muddy Waters' stinging electric guitar much more than I do his acoustic work, but this set from the 1960 Newport Folk Festival is what I play on those rare occasions when I'd rather have acoustic than electric. The remastered audio quality is excellent and Muddy is just phenomenal. This is probably up there with BB King's Live at the Regal as one of the all-time best live blues albums. Both are very different, but both are also very, very good. Still, electric mud is still, to me, where it's at!

Defining the blues
This is one of blue's seminal albums -- a must-have for any blues fan. Simply put, it defined the Chicago style. Muddy's vocals are sensational -- he's in top form here -- and the band steams along like a locomotive. Don't expect high-quality sound, though. This 41-year old gem was recorded live and the sound gets pretty thin at times. No matter. It's the historic performance that you get. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Together for the First Time BB King / Bobby Blue Bland
One hell of a great Soul album. Every track will knock your lights out a little more than the last one did. Its constantly building up to to the finally and leaves the listener begging pleading,for more.
Luckly, there is a Volume 2 named Together Again and it too will knock your socks off. Both of these albums, totally bring the pure excitment of being at the live show. I have seen both artists on numerous occasions, and these CD's are the next best thing to being there in person.

Great joking between performers, and the Soul is that type of Soul that is dripping with grease, and like Tina Turner says, "Nothin no good without the grease. These CD"s should be sold with moist towletts included. I'm ready anytime for Volume 3. Take the hint BB & Bobby.

this is a must have masterpiece
i was 10 years old when my father bought this on 8-track. i enjoyed it then and i still do. if my house caught on fire, this is one of the cd i will try to save.

Thanks to my Mom
when i was a Little Boy My Mom bought this Record&i enjoyed it alot.not knowing that much about B.B.King&Bobby blue Bland.but the way the two Artists Connected I wanted to know more.and as time has gone on this Live Album has become one of my All-time faves Live.you feel the Fun&High level Quality all through it.this is Classic Music&alot of Fun.

A great pairing.
Two legends in the world of the Blues, who have nothing but fun as they work together. A phenominal live album, which captures the joy they share in their work.

Hard to have much of the blues listening to these men, as they weave in and out of each other's lines in classic songs like "Don't Want a Soul Hangin' Round", "Its My Own Fault Baby", and "Three o'clock in the Morning". They both know the words, and neither once cares at the liberties taken in the lyrics by the other. For this reason (and just the fun they obviously have), this is probably not the album one should purchase as an introduction to this genre.

The songs herein have been done by this pair a million times, so they each know where they want to go (and more interestingly, how to throw the other just a tad off stride). Nothing but a lot of fun, though, as these two masters kid back and forth with the other.

Singing the blues has never been this much fun. Neither has listening.

blues that make you smile
Much of bb king's stuff is "more of the same" but I can't stop listening to this one. It is a very casual and very inspired recording that is technically very well recorded. Just try not to smile as BB and Bobby try to catch each other in verses with no obvious rhyme. It is equal parts blues, soul, intimate riffs, big groovy horns, house rockin music, and down home storytelling. The interaction of these two artists with each other and with the audience is first class. Definately an overlooked gem. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Best Garcia Live disc available!
I have absolutely loved this album since first getting it as a record in the 70's. It is the (along with the 2 other Keystone recordings) Garcia album that I keep coming back to over and over. Jerry's singing is as soulful as on any recording he ever made. His gitar playing during this period is a bit more sparse than during later periods, but is as emotional as it gets. Although "Space" and "merls tune" are a bit lacking compared to the Dead's jams, all the other songs are classics. On "It's too late" (my personal favorite) Jerry makes his gitar sing. Merl's keyboards complement Garcia very well. He gives Jerry the room to shine shine shine. If you buy only one Garcia album this is it. (Vol 2 and Keystone Encores rate a close 2nd and 3rd.)

Live At Keystone, Vol. 1 [LIVE]
Get this. Get all of the Keystone releases. John Kahn is a fantastic bassist who provides an interesting contrast to the Dead's bass player, Phil Lesh. His playing helps bring out plenty of sweet lyrical magic from Jerry's guitar.

you gotta have this on vinyl - get the cd
Positively & It Takes A Lot To Laugh are classics in themselves - everything else is candy and its way sweet candy - you wont be disappointed - get this CD ... Read more

Amazon.com

Walter Trout is not about tastefulness and subtlety--he is about ferocious intensity, exhilarating speed, and raw energy. This double-disc set (at single-disc price) presents Trout's complete, unedited performance from the March 2000 Tampa Bay Blues Fest (where they say he upstaged headliner Susan Tedeschi), and it is truly a thrilling ride. Running on adrenaline after a sleepless day and night traveling, Trout rolls through heavy blues rockers, slow 12-bars, soulful groovers, and even a Dylan cover. To be sure, this is pure blow-your-mind, "guitar god" kind of stuff that many blues purists may not enjoy. There are definitely times that Trout's incessant over-the-top style becomes slightly tedious, and there's not much in the way of originality, unless you count the fact that few others are even capable of such supersonic licks and unearthly tones. Still, despite the lack of a truly distinctive sound, Trout's ability to consistently fan the flames is amazing, and his voice, while not on a par with his guitar, is passionate and powerful. If you are a fan of pedal-to-the-metal electric blues-rock, few can match Trout in terms of sheer dexterity and drive.--Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Go Walter Go!!
If it wasn't for a stroke of good luck, I would have passed this one by. You see, I was browsing the Amazon blues section one day when I stumbled upon this Walter Trout guy. I decided to ckeck him out, and what I heard just amazed me. Being a lover of many shades of blue for 25 years and I never heard of him. I'm quite embarressed to admit this, but it's true. I have never admitted to being a know it all, but I'm sure I'll go to my grave without hearing all the great music thats out there. Now for the cd. A great guitar player with great credentials and a solid band. This is Walter Trout. This cd delivers all the goods from start to finish. From the very bluesy "The Reason I'm Gone" to a great cover of Dylan's " I Shall Be Released", this guy just hammers away. I'm a little afraid to buy one of his studio cd's because I just can't see anything comming close to this "live" masterpice. Maybe the word masterpiece is a little to strong, but you know what I mean. This is a great cd. And being a double cd at [a great price]..., well you can't go wrong.I'm glad I discovered Walter Trout. Another great cd for my collection.

a guitarist on another level
LIVE TROUT delivers. It comes in full-blast and never lets up. The guitar is beautiful throughout. It goes from fierce to subtle--but it constantly explores. Every song features enough solo work that it boggles the mind. If you want to immerse yourself into the blues-rock world of Walter--sit back and try to comprehend all that his beat-up strat is doing. There is a joy that is evident in this live CD that shines through. If you are to start with one CD from this man--this is the one. He is a road warrior who just keeps getting better. The guitar work is exquisite and the concert is a blast. This double Cd is a steal.

sweet agony of walter trout's blues
for people who love original, tight & coherent, blazin' blues, mr. walter trout is, hands-down, among the front-line best. and what is the test for being the "best"?? being able to write your own stuff & bring it off live, every time. other artists need studio mixes & such stuff but if you got any doubts about Trout, give an ear to his other cd's & you'll know I ain't lyin'.

Over Powering
I first discovered Walter Trout on the Ruf Recording Sampler where his cut "Gotta Broken Heart" appeared. I like the version of this song enough to go ahead and get one of his albums. I purchased "Live Trout" for its price and because live albums are usually full of raw energy which you cannot find on a studio album. I was right about the raw energy. Trout abounds with energy, power, and sheer presence. He's so fast I'm amazed that his strings don't get tangled.

Unfortunately, he bores me. It's great that he can shred with the best of them, but you don't have to fill each second of a song with notes. The times I got into Trout were when he was playing with volume swells and slowing down. Also he does a good cover of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released." Even the beginning of "Serve Me Right to Suffer" is good, but he jumps in with his speed. I believe anyone can play with speed, but speed doesn't say much. Music should be felt, not forced.

I like it when guitarists rock out, but I tend to tread the line a little on the purist side. Trout has a great following and loyal fans and he really can connect to them. I think of him as Blues Heavy Metal, and those who lean more to the King's (B.B., Albert, and Freddie), SRV, Buddy Guy and even Hendrix may find this too heavy to palate.

WALTER- LIVE*****
made the trip from southeastern mass. to fort lauderdale for a weekend blues festival. walter trout turned out to be the highlight of the event(from over 30 performers). see this guy live - you won't regret it. also recommend michael burks. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Ray Charles Live brings together two concert LPs recorded at 1958's Newport Jazz Festival and a 1959 Atlanta stadium show. Capturing both the inexorably cathartic (an impossibly slow "Drown in My Own Tears") and effortlessly blasting (several bluesy big- band tunes) natures of the era's Charles gigs, it's another must-own for his fans. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (8)

a fan for forty-five years
This is a combination of two albums one recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958, the other at a Rock Concert at a stadium in Atlanta in 1959 (his set was recorded by one of the DJ's that promoted the show and the sound was good enough to later be put on disc).

There are two good reasons to own this-1.-Drown In My Own Tears (twenty five years ago, Ralph Gleason called it the best live blues recording ever-probably still is. 2. Hear Ray on alto sax (Spirt Feel, Hot Rod)

This is raw Jazz, Soul and blues

RIP to a Great Musical Legend
what a Pioneer to Music Ray Charles was.if there is a Mount Rushmore to Music then he is one of the folks that Belongs on it.He truly was ground-breaking&had no limits.He transcended Music period.any style he could knock out the box&these two LP's showcase Him even better Live where he truly took his studio work up a whole Another Notch.from start to finish Ray brings so much to the arrangements&His Voice is a Instrument that just wraps it all up as one.He rocks on the Piano&His band is on Point.a Must have.He is One of the Forefathers of Music as we know it.

The power of Ray Charles singing live in the late 1950s
If you are for an early album of Ray Charles singing live as we conduct a music appreciation lesson of his work in the wake of his death this week, then "Ray Charles Live" takes us back as far as we can go. While this represents two of his first eight albums, 1958's "Ray Charles at Newport" and 1960's "Ray Charles in Person," and the album's sixteen tracks split down the middle between those works, Atlantic has played with the order a bit and it is hard to complain about the results

The first eight tracks were recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 5, 1958, and prove once again that there were few performers as powerful as Charles when he got going. The idea that he was playing R&B and singing gospel is so inadequate to the fusion of those forms that created what we know love as soul music. The standout tracks are "Night Time is the Right Time," the classic "I Got a Woman" (written by Charles and trumpeter Renald Richard), and "Talkin' 'Bout You."

The last eight come from a May 28, 1959 concert in Atlanta where the stand out track, as you would expect, is his thrilling version of "What'd I Say." It has to come last, because there is no place left to go after that one. Before that point the highlights are Charles doing his take on some big band songs, "Yes Indeed!" and "Frenesi." Having two version of "Night Time is the Right Time" is a treat (of course I always see the cast of "The Cosby Show" doing it in my mind's eye every time I hear it). But, wow, how strong this album ends, with "Tell the Truth" and a super slowed down version of "Drown In My Own Tears" before Charles sends the congregation home with "What I'd Say."

No wonder Ray Charles was a popular concert draw for almost half a century of powerful performances. With the tracks from these two early albums you get spirited performances of Charles doing most of the songs that established his reputation and which are pretty much the ones that you want to be listening to this week. When Charles signed with ABC and recorded songs like "Hit the Road, Jack" he was his most popular, but I still think there was more raw power during his early years at Atlantic. This album would just be more proof along those lines.

The Father of Soul Music. Here's The Proof
It's not that he hadn't shown the evidence before the two separate albums that compose this set (issued in a combine first as a two-LP set back in the day) - the original "I Got A Woman" took care of that in 1955 - but if anyone dares to question you, should you tell him or her that Ray Charles was the father of soul music, tie them to a chair and do not release them until the final notes from this set are played and sung. (On the other hand, you may not have to keep them tied up - for one thing, the absolute passion in this music, even in the slower numbers, and it doesn't get any slower than this wrenching remake of "I'll Drown In My Own Tears," might have them busting the bonds anyway...but they won't try to escape.) You can say he improved from here but don't even think about saying he got better - it just doesn't get better than this for Ray Charles. And if anyone tells you Charles ever did a more fervent take of "What'd I Say" than the one he does here, you should tell him that he is more deaf than Brother Ray was blind.

(I write hours after learning Ray Charles is dead at 73. Thank you, Brother Ray, for all those years and all that incandescent music.)

Not the vinyl
I've owned these albums on vinyl for 40 years now & am used to the order of playing. The CD alters the order to ill effect. "Talkin About You" shouldn't follow "I Got A Woman".
The Atlanta album should end with "Tell The Truth" not "What'd I Say". Nonetheless, these live versions of Charles classics are all inarguably better than the studio recordings. Yes all of them. Yes inarguably. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

One of the best live albums ever.
First of all, I read Tom Hibbert's review of the album, and he must know nothing of music reviewing except to spout off with a complete lack of knowledge and/or taste. Reminds me of a Rolling Stone review of albums in the 70's. If Stone put the album down, you knew it would be a good one.

Kooper & Bloomfield working together brought a special "magic" to the music, if I may. Super Session, side 1 in particular, was a giant leap for rock'n'roll in the 60's, and "Live Adventures" took it one step farther. Great songs, great jams. Just a particularly enjoyable album that helped more than one young teenager make the jump from top 40 to "real" music.

Bloomfield & Coopers Best
Since the release of this album (when I was 16 years old) I have had and lost 4 copies of the LP (all stolen at parties or otherwise perloined!).
I now have the CD and this time NO-ONE even gets to touch it!

Live Adventures is probably the very best live album of it's genre ever recorded. Bloomfield, Cooper, Bishop and the rest display an almost phsycic link in the live sessions which gives the music a flow and dynamic rarely heard in the history of live music, especially considering the alleged amount of practice prior to the event.
Having heard most of Bloomfield & Coopers work since I have to say this is a defining moment in Live Music.
This album is a must for anyone with a Blues/Jazz/ liking.
Anyone who is not transfixed by tracks like "No More Lonely Nights" & "Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong" should be arrested immediately by the taste police!
Buy It!

Every track is amazing, but I want more
Great music, every track is great, but I want more. Two demerits to Columbia for not remastering this masterpiece and adding the full recording of I Wonder Who and other improvements. All they did on the CD transfer was copy the LP to CD! And, for 3 full nights of playing, this is a pathetic offering, a total of only 85 minutes of music on 2 CDs. Boooo!

Fantastic CD.
I loved it back in 1969 and I love it now. This is real music of the 68, 69 era. Feelin' Groovy. Take care.

Contact High
I loved this record in high school. You can almost smell the dope. You can almost get a contact high listening to it. If you want to recreate an era, this live at the Fillmore album will do it for you.

Unfortunately, most of the music is terrible. (I'm listening to Sonny Boy right now, and I'm getting a headache. One of the worst blues performances ever.)Bloomfield plays killer licks, as usual, and the Hammond has that distinctive Kooper sound.

But even allowing that this is a jam session, the band does not hang together, except when they're doing the most basic blues, which they play fine. (Not hard for musicians of this caliber to jam blues.)

The rest sounds like a high school band trying to recreate a Grateful Dead show, with some Ornette Coleman thrown in. It's all sloppy -- and rarely in a good way.

Kooper sounds like his voice is in training. Other albums (first Blood Sweat and Tears especially) would attract producers who could bring out Kooper's best.

Kooper's sobered up and his relatively recent ReKooperation is top notch.

This session is a relic, and would sound best, if you want to play it at all, on a scratchy piece of vinyl, accompanied by a hot bong, a black light, and a room full of posters. ... Read more

Album Description

14 live recordings by Southern singer/ songwriter/ producer extraordinaire Penn with like-minded keyboardist mate Oldham. Contains versions of several of the cuts they wrote that became hits for others, including 'Cry Like A Baby', 'Do Right Woman, Do Right Man' and 'A Woman Left Lonely', plus classics like 'I'm Your Puppet', 'Sweet Inspiration' and 'The Dark End Of The Street'. 1999 release. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A "must" for fans of southern soul music!
Peter Guralnick calls Dan Penn the "secret hero" of his book "Sweet Soul Music," and in a way Penn is as essential to understanding soul music as listening to Aretha or Percy Sledge (two artists who covered Penn's work). Penn and Spooner Oldham labored for some harsh taskmasters, like Fame's Rick Hall and Atlantic's Jerry Wexler, but they managed to write and produce tunes that sound effortless in their construction. Listen to Penn's hit for the Boxtops, "Cry Like A Baby," or "I'm Your Puppet," his hit for the Purify brothers that launched the Muscle Shoals recording industry -- they sound like tunes that have been around forever, just drifting in the ether, waiting for Penn to hear them and write them down. But don't take my word for it -- buy this record, right now! You'll listen to it over and over again. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Awesome, but Wed & Thurs in SF even better!!!!
Albert is THE master!! This CD is truly powerful guitar playing and great vocals! A must for ALL Blues and rock fans.
As great as Live Wire / Blues Power is, it is very misleading to say that these were the best songs of the live SF shows. ALL songs were great, and the "leftovers" that were placed on the Wednesday night in San Francisco and Thursday night in San Francisco were just as good. All three CD's form the greatest collection of the sweetest guitar playing ever!!!! He was the TRUE master. It's amazing how few paople know about this secret pearl of music.

One Of The Great Live Blues Albums!
Legendary blues guitarist Albert King really hits his stride on this CD (originally released in 1969). Worth it just to hear the uptempo classic "Night Stomp". Arguably, this is King's best album. All the tracks are great, and this is one disc that really sticks-to-your-ribs, and one that you will go back and play again and again! A great disc for budding blues guitarists to listen to... you'll be hard-pressed to find a better teacher (with the possible exception of Freddie King). Regardless, this disc is a must for both blues and rock fans alike. Well worth the price.

king of the flying v's and more....
This is a seminal album....one of the finest live concert recordings ever, irrespective of genre. I saw King Albert twice at the Fillmore East in the old days [this one was recorded at Fillmore West], and this CD [or my old vinyl LP for that matter] captures him in all his live glory. Albert was a consummate professional who hadn't played large venues for the most part in his career when Bill Graham tapped him for the Fillmores, and he succeeded in pleasing [no, knocking out!!] audiences and turning them on to the blues....if you're counting your coins and wondering which next blues CD purchase will best serve your budget [or even if you're made of money and don't care either way but love the blues] - BUY THIS ONE!!!

Albert King's Most Influential Live Album!
Well the Blues is meant to be played live. It was never a genre for three minute radio songs. When Albert king signed at Stax he produced several hit singles beginning with "Laundromat Blues" and going on from there. This was his first live album- ever. He produced three recordings from it, this one and "Wednesday and Thursday Night in San Francisco". The latter two were not released until 1990 when the Stax label was ressurrected under the Fantasy organization. Albert plays a host of new material and reworkings for this LP. It was his first outing at the Fillmore where he was the headliner. He woos the young audience and introduces them to what the blues is all about. He opens the set with Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man", a tune he used for about a dozen years after this as his opening with his line "take off your shoes and slip them under the seat". He goes into the title track "Blues Power" from here. This a Talking Blues, a type that Albert excelled at. B.B. and Freddie never did any talking blues, Albert loved to talk! It is interesting that this type of blues originated in Appallacia with white players in the 1920s. Albert is the all time virtuoso of the talking blues witness "Matchbox", "Cold Feet" and others. This ten minute outing contains a comprehensive overview of his guitar style. It is very excellent and the tone of his guitar is fabulous. It of course has his signature stop break he first recorded at Chess in 1961 with "Won't Be Hangin Round". SRV used it in Texas Flood (Live)! This song has a lot of jargon that places Albert as an older player with a young audience, such as "Soda Fountain" and "Guys and Gals"..however, it's over their heads, they were into his guitar. The title "Blues Power" is of course the catch phrase of the sixties various "Powers" (Austen Powers!!) and like "Born Under A Bad Sign" (Age of Aquarius!!)these attempts at contemporizing the blues were lost in the fabulous guitar work outs. No one cared about the lyrics or content only the sound.

Albert does a reworking of his first minor hit with King Records "Blues At Sunrise" with a small amount of Hendrix type feedback (he'd been doing this for a long time) and it's a great slow blues offering. He also does the closest thing to a slide riff he'd ever done with B.B. King's "Please Love Me". "Night Stomp" is an interesting reversal of the famous 9th chord runs he did in Overall Junction. He wrote this tune with the album's producer Al Jackson, Jr, the famous drummer of the MG's. He also wrote "Cold Feet" the talking blues, with Albert! The album closes with "Look Out" which was of course "Overall Junction" redone. This is interesting with the strange almost Buddy Guy bends he produced- it's different from anything he ever recorded.
This is a classic recording. It was at a time when the blues revival of the sixties was waning and Jimi Hendrix (who played with Albert) had taken the blues to a new level of blues-rock. Albert became accepted as an innovator of modern urban blues with his soulful recordings for Stax records. However, live he always played traditional blues and often his set included tunes from the 1940s (check out the other two albums e.g."Driftin Blues"). I saw him in 1990 and his set included "Stormy Monday" and "Move To The Outskirts of Town". Get all three of these CDs, they are an historic record of the blues influence on music of the 1960s.

Forget SRV? I dont think so.
I agree with all the positives about Albert King, he certainly is CLASS. I do disagree with the person who said "forget SRV" yeah right! He was CLASS too, wasn't he?? ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Simmering, sizzling, smoking, & burning
Twice I have seen Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters live in small clubs, within flicking distance of his beads of sweat. After the first time, I walked out of the club shaking my head, mumbling, "Why isn't this guy famous?" I still don't know the answer, but hopefully this disc will continue to help him along in that direction. If you hear Ronnie talk in person, you can't help but get the impression that he is the most humble and sincere guitar wizard out there.

Blues Guitar Virtuoso Live In Europe does an excellent job of representing Ronnie and the gang's live act, simmering, sizzling, smoking, and burning their way through a set of mostly original compositions. Bruce Katz's B3 organ is the perfect counterpoint to Ronnie's stellar picking, most notably on the cover of Bobby Timmons' classic "Moanin'." and Earl's own "Serezen".

While it's a fantastic performance overall, the recording is not without flaws. First, the audio volume level varies from track to track, such that if the playback volume is adjusted for the louder tracks, you'll strain to hear the quieter ones. So I end up ping-ponging back and forth on the volume. Second, during the quieter passages, an annoying electronic hum is audible. I believe this is coming from Ronnie's guitar amp. (The same hum is also audible in a couple of tracks on his studio album Still River.) And lastly, clocking in at nearly 15 minutes, the closing track "Rego Park Blues" is too long and ambling for my listening pleasure away from the concert environment.

I would give this one four and half stars if I could, but since the review system won't let me, I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt and bumping it up to five. Keep the faith, Ronnie!

Stunning recording!
I don't think that Mr. Ronnie Earl needs any kind of introduction to any serious blues fan. He is one of the best (if not the best from my point of view) living "white" blues guitarists around. His amazing technique and the mastery with which he is able to build up a guitar solo from a quite start to the maximum of its intensity are second to none. I sow him playing several time and this live performance recorded in Europe is a very good example of what he is effortless able to do live on stage. Baked by his regular band Ronnie is in a dazzling shape and his performance is sublime throughout the entire concert. The rhythm section is solid and precise as usual and Bruce Kats does a marvellous job with his B3. As all his most recent albums this CD is totally instrumental however much more blues oriented than his previous studio ones. Tunes like "San-Ho-Zay", "Blues for the West Side" are solid Chicago electric "West Side" blues and "Rego Park Blues" worth by itself the price of the entire CD. The influence of great masters like Magic Sam and Otis Rush, a bit of T-Bone Walker skilfully mixed with a hint of Wes Montgomery are, from my point of view, pretty evident, however his stile remain very personal and unique in the today blues scene. A great album that should be present in any serious blues CDs collection. Five star (I would rate it six but...)

One of the Best Blues Guitar CDs
I heard one of Ronnie Earl's cuts on a web radio station. I liked it so much I took a chance on an album - came out a winner. A local ice cream shoop has three choices: "I Like It", "I Love It", and "I Gotta Have It." Blues Guitar Virtuoso is definitely "I Gotta Have It". Too, it makes great music when I work out at the Healthy Living Center. Highly recommend this if you love blues/jazz guitar.

Stands the test of time
I stumbled on this disc five years ago in Vancouver. I liked the demo enough to buy it. I'd never heard of Ronnie Earl before. I played this CD lots after I bought it. It's one of the few that you can just plug in and let it go from start to finish...Rego Park cooks! My house was broken into a couple of years ago and my CD collection was stolen along with a bunch of other stuff..The first CD I replaced was this one...Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters can play..I'd love to see them live..this is their best CD IMO

Great recording
Earl is fast and clean and very jazzy, he has a lot of technique. Probably is alot harder to play like he does than it sounds when you listen. The CD is very well recorded. A few of the songs really wail- I mean he sounds very inspired at times. I have no regrets purchasing this disc- it fits well into my blues collection... ... Read more

Reviews (8)

THIS IS THE A-BOMB!!
This album is the best album I own, and I own a lot of music. If you don't love the emotion, intensity, and power of this than nothing can move you.

The toughest singer you've ever heard.
This album rivals B.B. King Live At The Regal for best live blues album ever. Etta James sings so tough, so ballsy, I cannot think of another singer to compare her to. She almost makes even Wilson Pickett and James Brown sound like wimps. On a couple of songs, she does some scatting you have to hear to believe. Takes my breath away everytime.

Besides the incredible singing, the other thing that makes this album a joy is the audience. Their excitement is palpable. On a couple of songs, Etta gets a thrilling call and response going with them, and their energy seems to feed her. The album is the next best thing to Etta James in person.

One of the best live blues albums ever recorded!
This album rivals B.B. KingÕs Live At The Regal for best live blues album ever. (Although, ironically, I think the weakest cut on the album is Sweet Little Angel, which nobody, not even Etta James can sing with the passion of B.B. King) The high points are Baby What You Want Me To Do and Woke Up This Morning. Her singing is so tough, so ballsy on these songs, I canÕt think of another singer to compare her to. She could make even Wilson Pickett and James Brown sound like wimps. She finishes both songs off with some scatting you have to hear to believe. She just takes my breath away. And several more songs on this album are almost as good.

Besides the incredible singing, the other thing that makes this album a joy is the audience. The excitement is palpable. On a couple of songs, she gets a thrilling call and response going with them, and their excitement seems to feed her. You can actually hear her getting energy from the audience. The album is the next best thing to Etta James in person.

Etta is the best!!!
Etta James is one of the best singers ever! In this cd you hear Etta the way she's supposed to be heard. Live! Her interpretation of lyrics in each song is awe inspiring to listen to. The backing band is also full of good musicians, who have a good groove together and with Etta. There is some great guitar work in "Sweet Little Angel". I am a huge Etta fan but have played this album for many people who are not and don't even really care for the blues. But, everybody so far loves it. This album is beneficial to anyone who likes music in general, and definitely demonstrates the voice actually being used as an instrument. A must have!

speechless
the title says it all, ETTA ROCKS! This one sent chills up through my body. Its lowdown dirty till the sun comes up blues. If you claim to be a fan of the blues, you've got to have this. If you cant afford it, steal it. Just get it. Now! GO! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Most live blues recordings have a feeling of intimacy, as if the concerts took place in some out-of-the-way venue for an audience who not only know all the lyrics, but know the performers personally as well. Live Alive, in contrast, feels like a large-scale rock concert, an epic production full of grand gestures. But really, nothing suited Stevie Ray Vaughan's style better; everything, from the overall sound to the solos, feels big. The roar of the audience, especially for favorites like "Pride and Joy," "Cold Shot," and "Texas Flood," is huge but distant, an arena sound. Overall, Live Alive leaves the impression of a series of stellar moments caught on tape, with an intensity rarely captured in the recording studio. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Superb
The late Stevie Ray Vaughan rocked on stage. His rendition of Howlin' Wolf's "Commit A Crime" may lack the raw punch of the original, but that's a minor complaint - most of this album is simply excellent, filled with gems from Vaughan's first three albums.

Vaughan's guitar playing is masterful, with more grit than most of his studio orginals. His vocals are good, too, and the song list is magnificent, featuring the rare, non-LP track "Willie the Wimp" about the bizarre 1984 funeral of a Chicago "wiseguy".

Other highlights include Vaughan's best song, the superbly groovy "Pride And Joy", as well as "Look At Little Sister", "Cold Shot", "Love Struck Baby" and the slow blues "Texas Flood" and "Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up On Love", but there are really no weak songs, and this album should appeal to fans of both blues and rock music.
The sound is good, and the band is excellent. Several songs actually sound better in this live setting than on the original studio albums, partly because of the blistering blues-rock arrangements which include keyboards (piano and organ).

(Some people seem to think that Vaughan's playing wasn't up to his usual standarts when this album was recorded, that he must have been having a bad night or something. I can't make any sense of that claim, especially since "Live Alive" wasn't recorded during just one show, but actually incorporates cuts from different concerts in both 1985 and 1986. He must have been having some bad years, then.)

This is a very enjoyable, soulful live album, and it is highly recommendable to anyone with an interest in Stevie Ray Vaughan, or contemporary blues and blues-rock in general.

****1/2
The late Stevie Ray Vaughan rocked on stage. His rendition of Howlin' Wolf's "Commit A Crime" may lack the raw punch of Wolf's original, but that's a minor complaint...most of this album is simply excellent, filled with gems from Vaughan's first three albums.

Stevie Ray's muscular and versatile guitar playing is sublime, with more grit than most of his studio orginals. His vocals are good, too, and the song list is magnificent, featuring the rare, non-LP track "Willie the Wimp" about the bizarre 1984 funeral of a Chicago "wiseguy".

Other highlights include Vaughan's best song, the superbly groovy "Pride And Joy", as well as "Look At Little Sister", "Cold Shot", "Love Struck Baby" and the slow blues "Texas Flood" and "Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up On Love", but there are really no weak songs, and this album should appeal to fans of both blues and rock music.
The sound is good, although not always crystal clear, and the band is excellent. Several songs actually sound better in this live setting than on the original studio albums, partly because of the blistering blues-rock arrangements which include keyboards (piano and organ).

Apparently some people feel that Vaughan's playing wasn't up to his usual standarts when this album was recorded, that he must have been having a bad night or something. I've heard a lot of live SRV, and I can't make any sense of that claim, especially since "Live Alive" wasn't recorded during just one show, but actually incorporates cuts from different concerts in both 1985 and 1986. (He must have been having some bad years, then.)

This is a very enjoyable, soulful live album, and it is highly recommendable to anyone with an interest in Stevie Ray Vaughan, or contemporary blues and blues-rock in general.

Don't buy the cd, get the tape or record!
This is a great album the way it is, but without the 14th track (Life Without You), it's only half as good. For some reason, this track is not on the cd version, but appears on the cassette and vinyl version. It may take some hunting, but it is certainly worth it. Stevie may be stoned out of his mind, but the live version of Life Without You, with the three minute recitation at the end, is a beautiful, touching moment. Besides that, live Stevie Ray is always amazing. Highlights on this are "Pride and Joy", "Ain't Gone 'n' Given up on Love", "Cold Shot"(Check out the guitar tone on this one), "Texas Flood", "Voodoo Chile" and "Change It". Still, GET THE TAPE OR RECORD. You won't be dissapointed.

Heard only a few songs
This album is one of the only live albums that I don't have. I have heard samples, and a few extra songs on other cds though. The first thing I hear from somebody that tell about this album is basically that Stevie couldn't have been more high. His performance was just imbarrassing for the other members in the group (specifically Reese Wynans). Most poeple don't know this but, on the old vinyl copy of this album, (I've never heard it but someone told me) there was originally a 14th track. It was the song that usually comes close to the end of Stevie's sets. The song was Life Without You. Since it was the very last song, I'm guessing Stevie was more pooped than ever beacause it was the last song and that he was extremely high and everything. Being high is one thing, but being high and playing your last song in a set is terrible. In the old vinyl disc, Stevie was on his last song and he was so terribly slow that Reese Wynans walked off stage embarrased and discusted. This track was taken off the album because of its discracefulness.

SRV LIVE ALIVE
Stevie Ray Vaughan did not always play his best its one of those things that guitarist go through even Jimi Hendrix had a bad concert. This concert would prob have to be one of Stevie Ray's worst concerts. I am a huge SRV fan and I have about all of his stuff my favorite DVD is Live At Elbocambo this DVD SRV plays his heart out. Also on this CD they include the piano player who toured with SRV around the time of this concert and the Austin City Limits. There still is great guitar playing sounds good for what it is. Some cool songs are Pride And Joy, Cold Shot, Willie The Wimp, Voodoo Chile(Slight Return), Texas Flood, and Love Struck Baby. I was disapointed SRV did not play Lenny but it most have been one of those days I gave this CD 5 stars. If you love SRV then try this one out see how you like it listen to the samples. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Fine, but not as good as their first
This is a reprise of the wonderfully successful first album these two did together. It is worth having not only for their obvious enjoyment working together, but for the terrific job in "Let The Good Times Roll".

Otherwise, this is not as good as the first effort, which I thought had much more wide range of songs. Make that your first purchase of these two.

A party!
BB and Bobby throw a great party here, beginning with Let the Good Times Roll. The beauty of this record, as with "BB and Bobby -- Together for the First Time Live" is the spontaneity of the live recording. Bobby tries to persuade BB to play some requests, a fan gets up on stage -- the fun of this record could never happen in the studio.

A very good value
I enjoyed all but two of the tracks on the original cassette I bought some time ago. An excellent version of both "Let the good times roll" and "The thrill is gone". ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Best CD I ever heard! Where has Kelley been hiding!!
Enjoyed the enthusiastic blue-sy voice and excellent piano! The quality was amazing and I'd buy this one AGAIN and AGAIN!! I especially enjoyed Queen of the 88's, a great boogie beat! It's an incredible 9 minutes long at least! I hope to see Kelley Live in concert soon.

This Lady ROCKS!
I've seen Kelley Hunt perform several times & she is one I will never tire of seeing. Inspiration is just the album she needed to put out to the fans as anyone who has seen her live knows this is where she truly shines! She gives it all she's got the entire show & never, ever lets up. Queen of the '88s is a real pleaser as it has Kelley telling us a little bit of her history & how she got to be the boogie woogie mama that she is! No one can sing & play that piano like she can - very, very powerful & clear whether it be rock n roll, the blues or gospel. And getting help from the great Mike Finnegan is just an added bonus. Check it out - people from Kansas can rock with the best of them anytime! And go to a concert when she comes to town - you won't regret it for a moment.

Play that boogie-woogie!

I picked up Inspiration after seeing Kelley perform live, she is soooo phenomenal! Recorded live at three different venues between 1998 to 2000, Inspiration keeps the listener hooked by showcasing Kelley's phenomenal range - from blues to gospel to boogie woogie. And while this CD only has nine tracks, only 2 are under 5 minutes, and two of them are over eight.

The CD kicks off with Kelley's 'lusty growl' and killer drum beats in a story of "I-N-S-P-I-R-A-T-I-O-N" (think Aretha Franklin's "R-E-S-P-E-C-T"), thanking an ex-lover for letting her find herself. "Stronger Wings" is a very gospel-feeling tune and Kelley's vocals soar. "Treat Me Right", "Back in the Saddle", and "Forgive and Forget" are all upbeat romps that showcase Kelley's trademark boogie-woogie style of piano playing and show her as a strong woman. The guitar throughout "Just Like Oxygen" is awesome and Kelley's 'bluesy' voice grabs you and tells you a tale of wanting. "Natural Thing" is another great gospel-type tune, heavy on the piano and drums. "Love Never Dies" (Lullaby for Charles) is a soaring ballad which gives me chills when I listen to it. I saved my fave song for last..."Queen of the 88s" is Kelley's tribute to her childhood piano teacher, Mary Burke Norton, also known as the 'last of the red-hot mamas'. Kelley alternates between speaking the story and singing it and while it is over nine minutes in length, it not 'long'. It is an AWESOME song!

If Mary Burke Norton was the Queen of the 88s, than Kelley Hunt is the Princess, ready to ascend the throne. She may not be mainstream, but I have never seen anyone tickle the ivories like her and I don't think the mainstream is ready for such a talented, diverse artist!

What an Inspiration!
After hearing Kelly Hunt perform at Boondocks in Amarillo, TX, I was sold on this lady! Not only can she play the 88's like no one around today, but she can sing as well. Her voice can make you cry or laugh or shout out loud. What a blues singer!

Kelly/Inspiration
Kelley Hunt has one of the most versatile voices I've ever heard. She seems equally at home belting out raucus lowdown blues, crooning like a gospel queen, or torching low and sexy. Her vocals are strong but perceptive, penetrating and sensitive at the same time. And you would be hard pressed to find a keyboardest with a better left hand. Kelley can boogie-woogie with the best. Don't pass up a chance to see her live. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Taj Mahal's been chasing the blues around the world for years, but rarely with the passion, energy, and clarity he brought to his first three albums. Taj Mahal, The Natch'l Blues and The Real Thing are the sound of the artist, who was born in 1942, defining himself and his music. On his self-titled 1967 debut, he not only honors the sound of the Delta masters with his driving National steel guitar and hard vocal shout, but ladles in elements of rock and country with the help of guitarists Ry Cooder and the late Jessie Ed Davis. This approach is reinforced and broadened by The Natch'l Blues. What's most striking is Mahal's way of making even the oldest themes sound as if they're part of a new era. Not just through the vigor of his playing--relentlessly propulsive, yet stripped down compared with the six-string ornamentations of the original masters of country blues--but through his singing, which possesses a knowing insouciance distinct to post-Woodstock counterculture hipsters. It's the voice of an informed young man who knows he's offering something deep to an equally hip and receptive audience.

Soon, Mahal turned his multicultural vision of the blues even further outward. The live 1971 set, The Real Thing, finds him still carrying the Mississippi torch, while adding overt elements of jazz and Afro-Caribbean music to its flame. But it's overreaching. His band sounds under-rehearsed, and the arrangements seem more like rough outlines. Nonetheless, these albums set the stage for Mahal's career. (For a condensed version, try the fine The Best of Taj Mahal.) Today, he continues to make fine fusion albums, like 1999's Kulanjan, with Malian kora master Toumani Diabate, and less exciting but still eclectic recordings with his Phantom Blues Band. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (11)

It doesn't get much better than this
I'd been waiting for the CD release to replace two well-worn vinyl copies of this energetic, unique live performance. from the first time I heard this recording nearly 30 years ago, its become a treasure.

Taj Mahal and his back up band perform a variety of "great American folks tunes" with an intensity and ease seldom found in any performance. The music, no matter how old the tunes are, sounds fresh and displays a lack of datedness, pretense or restraint.

The instrumentation and arrangements are unusual (a banjo and tuba duet, for instance) and full of joy.

Great music and great fun---this is "The Real Thing"

Taj Always Had His Own Style
This is an excellent Taj Mahal CD. The album is fun and relaxing and must have been a great show to see. The quality of the music is great considering it was taken from a live performance. Although, a few times on the CD when Taj is talking between songs, the sound drops very quiet for a short time but quickly shoots back up to a good volume. The use of horns is a great change on this album and the other musicians on the stage sound great throughout. This is a good CD which will spice up any blues collection by providing a sound different from most other blues albums.

A-MEN, brother reviewer...
Yeah, man, the "official" reviewer just doesn't get it AT ALL. This is one of the best ROOTS recordings EVER - and I don't say that lightly. Remember...this is 1971...LIVE, a 2 LP recording, at the Fillmore...I mean, the Allman Brothers - WITH DUANE - did their recording that same year. Now, how many acts could have gotten away with playing a tune with nothing but a banjo and a TUBA, for cryin' out loud! ("Tom And Sally Drake")? Taj Mahal, that's who. Taj engages the audience as well as anyone ("Gimme some help...GIMME SOME! - You can do it...if you're jacked up to it...) and standouts here are the norm. "You're Goin' To Need Somebody On Your Bond" is the groover, with Taj 'gettin spiritual' with the blues, and doing the back and forth with the crowd. Also a highlight is "Ain't Gwine Whistle Dixie No Mo'", where every band member gets a piece of the action, and my spine tingles at the thought of John Simon groovin' on the piano, and John Hall doing a GREAT guitar solo, and ending, with Taj whistling over the many horns. No, if you don't get it, you don't get it...but I was 15...and I got it. This is Taj's moment in Time, Live - History, I believe it's called - and he grabs on and holds tight. Any fan of blues, jazz, roots, gospel, or African-American music History has to consider this a MUST HAVE CD. Period.

This is it!
The "official" review doesn't take into account the power of this album as a whole. The chemistry is there, and this has the raw energy of the best blues. One of my favorite albums of all time.

BEGstore.com transaction review
BEGstore was perfect! Prompt shipping, clean packaging, and a free shipping upgrade! I'll do business with them again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Performed for a tiny audience at the renowned Pachyderm Studio in 1998, this CD is the best example of what Indigenous sound like live. While their national debut Things We Do is an excellent introduction to their music, their live shows are far above and beyond any studio recording in terms of energy and performance, as the entire band frequently takes off into 10-minute jams to mind-blowing effect. Live at Pachyderm Studio provides a taste of that, including extended versions of several previously recorded songs, as well as previously unavailable material. An item of special interest is the cover of Hendrix's "Red House"; the guitarist's influence on Indigenous frontman Mato Nanji is undeniable. The production on this album is so clear, putting it in the stereo and cranking it up might be almost as good as hearing them live. This band is addictive, and Live at Pachyderm Studio is the perfect fix. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (34)

I Am Addicted!
This is the CD that Indigenous fans have been calling for. The CD was recorded during the band's recording of "Things We Do' for a small studio audience. The CD represents the raw energy of the entire band. Granted, Mato is just amazing with his guitar work but so is the rest of the band. The sound quality of Pachyderm Studios also shows in this CD.

If you like SRV, Hendrix, Led Zep, Jimmy Thackery, Collective Soul, or any rockin' blues this is the CD to get! The song "I wonder why" along with "Red House" showcase the talent of this band!

One of the fieriest rocking Blues album that I have heard!
Mato Nanji's blistering soulful licks are incredible. For just 25 years old, man this guy packs the spirits of many blues legends in his fingers.

With his Sister on drums and brother and cousin rounding up the percussion section, this is one tight awesome band.

I got a chance to see Indigenous on The BB King Blues Festival, in Dalton Georgia 9-23-99

The put on a great show, it was almost a letdown when KWS and BB King came on. I was wanting more Indigenous.

Mato's and Indigenous version of "Red House" by Hendrix is the best that I have ever heard. It conjures up Jimmy, SRV, and all the best Blues Guitarist all in one package, and goes one step further. Mato's blistering licks and incredible tone from his Fender Vibro King amp and Fender Stratocaster will satisfy any Guitarist.

Anyone wanting a Great Blues LIVE CD get this CD! Besides being great musicians, these Native Americans are for real, hailing from South Dakota, they are also very involved in the rights of Native Americans. This is something we could all be involved in as well.

I can only imagine what the future promises for Indigenous. But with CD's out as great as this early in their career, we can only hope of many, many great CD's by this band.

mire mimics
I listen to the mp3 here, and believed the words of praise by other reviews and bought this CD.
The production is bad. The music and vocal tracks are flatten together. Its sounds like a gray mush. The guy sounds like SRV and sings like him too. They just don't play with the same heart and soul.

This CD mimics a great guitarist. .
I was sadly disappointed.

GREAT LIVE BLUES / ROCK CD
This is a tour de force for INDIGENOUS and specifically MATO NANJI. Great playing, good songs, great recording. I bought THINGS WE DO a while back and was debating whether the 4 new tracks alone would make buying this CD worthwhile. Don't hesitate as even the make over the other songs receive in a live
environment make them a new experience and RED HOUSE alone is worth the price. Not since HENDRIX and SRV has a guitarist sounded like this in a live gig. For my liking he sounds a little to close to his heros and needs to develope further into a style that will be recognisable as his. He has the talent and a lot of time on his side. This would be 5 stars were it not for the similar tone and style of SRV and HENDRIX.

Blues at its best
Mato is a guitar GOD. He truly ranks up there with the best of the best, such as Clapton, Beck and Page.
Just awesome! ... Read more

Reviews (3)